Strategic Plan 2006-2010

The Hood Museum of Art’s strategic plan maps the purpose, objectives, key strategies, and direction of the Hood Museum of Art for the years 2006 through 2010 within the context of planning for reaccreditation by the American Association of Museums (AAM) in 2007 and the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Hood Museum of Art in 2010, both opportunities to measure the museum’s success. The plan is framed to be consistent with the purpose, intellectual character, and core values of Dartmouth College, including especially its commitments to academic and student life and to diversity.

Purpose

The purpose of the Hood Museum of Art at Dartmouth College is to inspire, educate, and collaborate with our college and broader communities about creativity and imagination, through direct engagement with works of art of historic and cultural significance, by making effective use of our collections and staff.

The Hood Museum of Art seeks to provide access to works of art and to information about them.

Objectives

The strategic plan builds on the museum’s achievements and gives direction for the management and development of our collections, audiences, and resources.

Objective 1: Manage and Develop Our Collections

To acquire works of art by purchase and gift to enhance the aesthetic and cultural impact of the Hood Museum of Art’s collections and build on their strengths, and to manage and protect all of the works in the museum’s care.

Key Strategies:

MANAGE
—Maintain the collections catalogue through research, imaging, and documentation, using appropriate technologies
—Research, document, and review the collections, identifying strengths and gaps and evaluating future acquisitions needs
—Build on our role as a museum in an academic environment by promoting our dual provision of public galleries and study storage areas

DEVELOP
—Conserve, protect, and secure the collections by reorganizing, improving, and expanding storage facilities
—Identify and acquire works of art by purchase, gift, and loan to build on strengths and fill gaps in the collections
—Identify potential donors and acquire works of art and acquisitions funds from them in collaboration with the College’s development office

Objective 2: Manage and Develop Our Audiences

To provide access to works of art through displays, exhibitions, programs and activities, publications, the Internet, and promotion.

Key Strategies:

MANAGE
—Engage our audiences by promoting our collections and works of art on loan through lively and diverse exhibitions, displays, and publications
—Identify and evaluate our College and community audiences’ knowledge of and access to our collections, exhibitions, and programs
—Make the most effective use of museum facilities, including the public galleries, study storage, classroom spaces, and information technology for our diverse audiences

DEVELOP
—Inspire, educate, and collaborate with College and broader audiences through direct engagement with exciting and provocative works of art
—Attract new audiences by developing and promoting the relationships between academic programming and other educational programming at the College and in the community through collaboration and partnerships
—Increase our capacity to engage College and broader audiences through enhanced facilities, promotion, and information technology services

Objective 3: Manage and Develop Our Resources

MANAGE
—Organize and manage our staff, facility, and information technology resources to make effective use of our collections in support of our objectives
—Manage and evaluate our resources to provide the most effective access for our diverse audiences
—Realize the potential of our many sources of support to fund our objectives

DEVELOP
—Secure funds for the development of our collections, staffing, facilities, and information technologies resources
—Develop our resources to attract, inspire, and engage our audiences with curricular and non-curricular programming
—Expand and develop new sources of support to fund our objectives